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Row gently here,
My gondolier,
So softly wake the tide,
That not an ear,
On earth, may hear,
But hers to whom we glide.
Had Heaven but tongues to speak, as well
As starry eyes to see,
Oh, think what tales 'twould have to tell
Of wand'ring youths like me!
Now rest thee here,
My gondolier,
Hush, hush, for up I go,
To climb yon light
Balcony's height,
While thou keep'st watch below.
Ah! did we take for Heaven above
But half such pains as we
Take, day and night, for woman's love,
What Angels we should be!
About the headline (FAQ)
See also Marceline Desbordes-Valmore's Barcarolle imitée de Thomas Moore.
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Row gently here", subtitle: "Venetian air", appears in National Airs, first published 1822 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Benjamin Carr (1769 - 1831), "The gondolier" [ voice and piano ], from Carr's Canzonetts [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edward L. Hopkins , "Row gently here", published 1871 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul van Katwijk (1885 - 1974), "Row gently", published 1918 [ medium voice and piano ], from Four Songs [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) , "Row gently here" ; composed by Robert Emmerich, C. Hruby, Adolf Jensen, Bruno Ramann, Robert Schumann, Alexander Winterberger.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by W. Herzberg , "Der Gondolier" ; composed by Friedrich Klose.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 20
Word count: 99
Rame doucement ici,
Mon gondolier,
Réveille la marée si doucement,
Pour qu’aucune oreille,
Sur terre, ne puisse l’entendre,
Sauf celles vers qui nous glissons.
Si le Ciel avait des lèvres pour parler
Et des yeux étoilés pour voir,
Oh, imaginez quelles histoires il aurait à raconter
Sur des jeunes gens errants comme moi !
Alors, repose-toi ici,
Mon gondolier,
Chut ! chut ! car je monte,
Pour atteindre la hauteur
De ce balcon lumineux,
Tandis que tu montes la garde en bas.
Ah ! pour le Ciel là-haut, si nous prenions
Ne serait-ce que la moitié des peines
Que nous prenons, jour et nuit, pour l’amour d’une femme,
Quels anges serions nous !
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Row gently" = "Rame doucement"
"Row gently here" = "Rame doucement ici"
"The gondolier" = "Le gondolier"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2026 by Pierre Mathé, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Row gently here", subtitle: "Venetian air", appears in National Airs, first published 1822
This text was added to the website: 2026-06-11
Line count: 20
Word count: 108